History

For many years, tradition stated that the first Clumber Spaniel type of dog arrived at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire from the kennels of the French aristocrat, the Duc de Noailles, during the revolution, however much research has found no evidence to support this theory and the Clumber Spaniel is widely considered to be an English breed.

There is a 1788 painting by F. Wheatley showing the Duke of Newcastle with a number of white and lemon dogs, which are recognisable as forerunners of the modern Clumber. It is widely known that these dogs continued their association with the aristocratic houses of Great Britain, culminating with King Edward VII. King George V enjoyed using his Clumbers at Sandringham where he bred many working and show champions, the best remembered being Sandringham Spark.

In the post-war years, until the mid 1960’s, the Clumber went into a decline in popularity when its fate was in the hands of a few dedicated breeders who managed to maintain the excellent qualities of the breed.

Today we are experiencing a steady resurgence of interest in the big white spaniels from shooting and show people, and from others who seek a true and faithful companion with a sense of humour and a great character.